


The Little Game

by Saku777



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: M/M, Prussia is the GDR in this fic, also warning for emotional manipulation and mind games, they're not in a romantic relationship but there is attraction at least on pru's side
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-14
Updated: 2018-04-14
Packaged: 2019-04-08 03:54:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14096652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saku777/pseuds/Saku777





	The Little Game

Day 4 - History: 

Pairing: Ruspru Russia/Prussia

The setting is 1953 after the nationwide protests in the GDR in 1953. Pru is the GDR in this fic. Warnings for emotional manipulation. 

He came in battered and bruised, though one large wound wasn’t from the beating he had received, but rather from the people killed at the protests in this year of 1953. 

Although he was in the Volkspolezi, East Germany, who was once known as Prussia, had not taken down and arrested his people as he was commended. Instead he did nothing and had simply been swept up in the crowd. His superiors noticed this and once everything was over carted him off to the government higher-ups who proceeded to take him to Moscow once Russia and his boss were notified.

Hours passed and he was still sitting in the small windowless room with only a few furnishings including two chairs. He was tired and his very soul seemed to ache, but Prussia refused to let his guard down. Finally, the door opened. It was Russia, though Prussia had been expecting that. The large nation sat down in the chair right in front of the one Prussia was sitting in and sighed, seeming almost disappointed. “Well you certainly look a mess and do you know who’s fault that is?” Prussia spat out blood, though not at Russia, simply at the ground and said, “No fucking kidding, and yeah your-” “Ah,” Russia interrupted. “I believe you are mistaken little DDR. The fault lies with you.” Prussia narrowed his eyes and stared at Russia, feeling rather confused. It didn’t help his head ached and he had been hit several times as well. “What the fuck are you talking about? My people have had enough cause of these new fucked up economic policies. Even my boss said it was a mistake so how is it my fault?”

“They may have said that but we’ve already eased the policies since Stalin’s death and told you and your government to do so as well. In addition that I’ve been one of the few nations to actually consider you worthy of attention and appreciation as a state. Many of the others, especially those in the west, have ignored you or treated you as if one dead, which you clearly aren’t. I helped save you from certain death and secured a place for you in the world. I even approved of your government placing you in the police force and this is the thanks I get? It truly is a pity you’re so ungrateful for all I’ve done for your sake. It almost saddens me.” While there was some truth in Russia’s words they were anything but sincere. Prussia in his slightly addled and already embittered stated didn’t catch this though and was silent. “I mean I guess you have a point but…but a lot of people died? Like..shit I dunno how much. You think I’m gonna take that crap lying down?”

“Isn’t something you brought upon yourself? There was no need for things to escalate to this level, the original demands were met and like ungrateful children once that happened they requested more and more. Even for your government to resign. Do you truly want to be reunified with your brother? The man who betrayed you. To no longer have a state and a home but to go back to the man who blamed you for Hitler’s rise when it was all of his own doing?” Russia said as he looked Prussia in the eye. Prussia looked away, “He…he’s not my brother and I told you years ago I don’t want shit to do with him. That still stands.” He let out a few hacking coughs once he finished speaking which Russia ignored.

“Besides little DDR, we have evidence of some interference.” “Interference?” Prussia asked, wondering what Russia even meant. Russia sighed again and said, “Your leadership has informed me that while the original agitators and many of those caught up in the protests were your people, the truth is is that they were instigated and exacerbated by western agents. Which honestly does explain how rapidly the protests spread. I’m almost surprised it didn’t make you suspicious, you’re more astute and intelligent than that.” “Western interference? Like..like America?” Prussia asked with some dismay. Russia made a rather disgusted face. “Yes him, who else could it be but that capitalist pig. The situation is clear, from what they’ve told me. While the original policy was extreme they were lessened as requested. Then Western agents and traitors among your people took the instability as an opportunity to continue to destabilize you and cause harm to your people, your state and you. Remember he doesn’t even see you as something that has a right to exist or live. Remember how he wanted you dead along with all the others.”

Prussia was quiet once more, Russia had a point. The protests had spread rapidly, to the point that even he was confused and the demands had risen quickly even after everything had been satisfied. He also knew America did want him gone and had essentially tried to kill him in 1947 along with the other allied powers. Meanwhile, (and he had never forgotten this, even with all the resentments he had), Russia was the only one who had protested the decision and was the only one who was really keeping him alive and seeing him as some kind of legitimate state. Yes it was annoying he wasn’t fully sovereign, but this was better than death. He was alive, his lungs were breathing, and while that was true there was always the promise of a better tomorrow, of things improving for him and his people, and rising up to be a more powerful or at least a acknowledged nation. America did none of this for him, only paying attention and manipulating the man who also aided in his fall.

At the thought of all this Prussia burned with anger and bitterness, however there was also another emotion within him. One that was long suppressed since 1914 but was beginning to bud again ever so slowly. It confused him somewhat but at the same time he found that it oddly wasn’t unwelcome in some aspect. “So what, they did that shit to fuck me up and try to get my government to resign and have me end up dead for good?” Russia nodded, “Exactly. I knew you weren’t stupid and would see reason. It really makes a good deal of sense when one looks at it. The original offers were reasonable and fulfilled, but for it to escalate so fast raised suspicions and they were apparently confirmed. Regrettably this means you’ll also have to reside here for the time being.” “What? How come?” Prussia asked, feeling rather taken aback. “The first reason is for your own security. Since foreign western agents were able to act and attempt to sabotage you we’ll be forced to keep you here to keep you safe from them. The second,” he added after a pause, “is because even if the entire situation wasn’t your fault some of your people did end up betraying us. Therefore of course you’ll have to be punished in some way. It’s only fair. However,” Russia added once Prussia began frowning, “If you behave and conduct yourself in a reasonable manner you might be released sooner than later.”

“So..not three years like last time I had to stay in your place?” Russia smiled, “Surely not that long, but it is up to you.” Prussia was annoyed, and it showed in his face. “Whatever, just…are you fucking sure that it was Western agents trying to destabilize me?” Russia nodded once more and leaned closer, Prussia didn’t lean away. “That and ungrateful elements in your people. Listen to me, we’ve tried to help you, tried to get you back up on your feet and given you another chance. Meanwhile they’ve wanted you dead, actually tried to kill you, and would of been content to let your corpse rot in the dirt and would of most likely attempted to scrub any trace of your existence off the face of the planet. At least under a new name you have a new chance to make a new start. Why wouldn’t they try to destabilize you in order to cut that short?”

Prussia knew for a fact most of that at least was true. Back in 1947 England’s spearheading of his establishment had been backed by all except for Russia and Russia had pulled him out of the shadows and put him back into the light. Russia had given him life and air to breathe and given him another chance, a chance that others wanted to deny to him, a chance that others still refused to acknowledge. He was so angry too, that they refused to recognize his existence, that they wanted to pretend he was dead and gone for good, just like his land and his people. It enraged him then and did so now too, his heart was still swimming in grief at all these things and beings long gone and unattainable now.

Prussia was so deep in his sea of thought and feelings that he didn’t notice Russia reaching towards him, and by the time he figured out what was happening the other nation had already grabbed his chin with those cold fingers. At that moment there were two emotions co-current in Prussia, one was revulsion and the other was a odd sort of thrill at the seat of his stomach making his heart race and palms sweat. Once more this feeling was half unwelcome and half pleasant. The gesture was innocent however, if intrusive, since Russia merely looked over Prussia’s bloodied lip and blackened eye, as well as the forming bruise under his chin and then let go. Prussia found himself somewhat disappointed, much to his own annoyance.

Russia meanwhile wanted to cut things short and let his words seep into Prussia’s mind. “I reiterate you’re still a mess and your bruises are beginning to swell. I’ll take you to your room and give you something to help with the swelling. The rest shall heal in it’s own time.” Prussia was about to say part of that was because he had just been personally beaten by Soviet agents, but at the same time he was tired and a bed and ice sounded too nice to resist. He was also trying to stubbornly ignore his residual feelings from earlier. Russia did as promised, bringing him to a spartan looking room along with some ice and then left. Prussia lay there wordlessly in the dark, not really caring to think much but rather stewing in his anger and confused emotions as he held the cold ice to his face. He fell asleep like that and ended up waking up with a bag of water on his face in the morning.

The months passed relatively uneventfully. Prussia was given work to do, both hard labor and mindless desk work depending on Russia’s mood, and with some grumbling and complaints in order to be difficult he fulfilled his tasks. In his free time Prussia made sure to keep his distance from the Soviet states in Russia’s house, especially Lithuania. As a result of this he was either alone or spending most of his time with Russia, and given he was attention starved and desperate for some kind of interaction after too much solitude he sometimes even ended up seeking him out. Russia mostly tolerated this, feeling at once both annoyed and amused. In a way it made him feel rather nostalgic as well for times before the first world war, but he knew as well that such times and ways would never come again. Neither of them were the same either, nor would they ever be. The old Russia of the empire was gone, and the old Prussia was gone too. He was no longer even Prussia anymore and was reduced drastically. Sometimes Russia looked at him and felt a sense of strange pity, what a sad pathetic state he was in. However this was their lives now. Russia had surpassed the empire and he kept telling himself he was all the better for it. Prussia had fallen and now was under his influence, albeit not under his control. Russia intended to take full advantage of this when he could.

The things they did together were mostly mundane, but things they both found they enjoyed. Playing chess, discussing books and current events, walking around the grounds, and playing music. The past was never spoken of, however, it hung amidst them like a solitary ghost, invisible and silent but all too present despite their attempts to ignore it. This was just one of the reasons Prussia felt uneasy in Russia’s company, but there was no one else he could turn to. He was adrift in his very existence and lost amidst the shifting sands of time. So he grasped hold onto whatever he could, and at the moment in this period of his life that was Russia. At least he gave him attention and some semblance of respect. 

One evening as they were playing chess, Prussia with black and Russia with white, Russia paused before making his move, looked Prussia in the eye and said, “How long have you been here DDR?” Then he moved his piece. “Prussia quickly made his own move and said, “…Almost a year, why?” Russia made another move, putting Prussia at a rather bad position. “Fuck,” he said under his breath. This made Russia chuckle and then he said, “It’s simply that I was looking at your behavior and the situation back in your home. Things have calmed down somewhat and you’ve made little trouble. In fact you’ve been diligent and done your share of tasks, even if you’ve been somewhat aggravating and slow.” There was some bite in that, but he was being truthful at least.

“At least I get shit done…but what’s your point.” “My point is, given all these factors my boss has allowed you to go home now. Your time here is up, and in addition to that we’ve decided to make a sincere show of friendship by granting your state full sovereignty and disbanding the Soviet control commission in Berlin.” Prussia’s turn was all but forgotten as he stared dumbfounded at Russia. “Your move,” Russia said. “Yeah yeah, in a minute…but are you serious? Like really seriously serious?” Russia snorted, “ DDR please, of course I am. I could be teasing, but I would of given such a thing away by now. In addition to this,” he paused as Prussia made a rather reckless move. “If after some time things continue in the manner they have once you’re back in Berlin additional things shall be granted to you.” Prussia was filled with curiosity, and despite himself excitement. “…Like what?” “That’s for the future,” Russia said. “Since it depends on what happens. Some are in the air and not fully planned yet as well, we’ll have to see.”

Despite this it sounded promising to Prussia. He was free to finally go back home and not only that but he was his own fully fledged nation, at least to Russia and his allies. The western world of course, continued to deny him his rights and continued to treat him like dirt and this continued to enrage him. As he made another rash move he though angrily of his brother West Germany, of England, and of America as well. All of them were responsible for his hardships in Prussia’s mind. While things with Russia weren’t perfect, and while he both creeper Prussia out and made him feel oddly nice feelings he would rather not feel conned to Russia (which continued to distress him) Russia was the one who kept him alive, who helped him, who now was letting him go on home after he had proved him self and gave him full sovereignty. Perhaps even more would come if the future played out well. Suddenly it seemed to Prussia as if a world of possibilities and chances had opened before his very eyes. He almost felt happy. Yes it was clear to him, Russia respected him, Russia treated him as a equal, and gave him some consideration. That was what he so desperately thirsted after and longed for. “Checkmate” Prussia looked up at Russia’s slightly smiling face. He had won the game


End file.
